Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken is a delicious meal made with tender juicy chicken in a creamy sauce, with a cooking time of under 30 minutes. All you need are herbs, sun-dried tomatoes, heavy cream, and chicken broth. A few other ingredients and you have a quick meal of Tuscan chicken that your whole family will love.
For more instant pot recipes, try our Instant Pot Chicken and Potatoes with baby potatoes and dry ranch seasoning or these Instant Pot Chicken Wings made with frozen chicken, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes.
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Cooking anything in your instant pot makes whatever you are making juicy and delicious whether it is boneless chicken thighs, chicken breast, or pasta. The instant pot or pressure cooker traps all the juices and flavors in the pot so nothing gets wasted and nothing dries out.
Not only is this Tuscan chicken recipe scrumptious but it is also quite healthy with lots of protein, vitamin A, and vitamin C. Spinach is loaded with calcium and vitamin A and sundried tomatoes have vitamin K, riboflavin, fiber, lycopene, and niacin.
Our instant pot Tuscan chicken is perfect for any meal even if you only have a few minutes to prep. For an appetizer, try this Instant Pot Cream Cheese Chicken Soup seasoned with ranch and bacon.
For more instant pot recipes, check out our website. We have tons of recipes from main entrees to desserts that you can make in your pressure cooker or instant pot.
Ingredients needed:
Here are the simple ingredients you need to make this delicious instant pot Tuscan chicken. For detailed directions and measurements, scroll down to our printable recipe card.
- Boneless skinless chicken breasts: You can also use boneless skinless chicken thighs for this recipe.
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Unsalted butter: Or olive oil.
- Soy sauce
- Italian seasonings: Homemade or store-bought.
- Dried basil
- Dried oregano
- Cremini mushrooms: Sliced.
- Unsalted chicken stock: Chicken broth is fine too.
- Garlic cloves: Minced garlic is best.
- Sun-dried tomatoes
- Fresh spinach
- Heavy cream
- Freshly grated parmesan cheese
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Fresh basil for serving
Thickener:
- Cornstarch
- Cold water
How to make Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken recipe?
- Preheat: First, heat up your instant pot using the saute more function. Wait until it reads HOT so the chicken will not stick to the bottom of the instant pot.
- Season: Meanwhile, pat the chicken dry and season one side with the salt, pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Brown: Right away, put two tablespoons of unsalted butter or olive oil in the pan and place the chicken in, seasoned side down. While it browns, season the other side. It should take about three to five minutes to brown and two minutes on the other side.
- Saute: After, lay the browned chicken thighs or breasts aside and add minced garlic to the pot. Saute for 30 seconds. Then, add the mushrooms, salt, and pepper and saute for another minute. Toss in the other seasonings and saute for another minute.
- Deglaze instant pot: Combine the chicken broth and soy sauce before adding it to the pot as you scrub all the flavorful brown bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Pressure cook: Finally, add the chicken and juice. Set the pressure valve on sealing and cook on high pressure for five minutes for chicken thighs and four minutes for chicken breasts. Then do a natural release for 10 minutes. After, use the quick release method to release the remaining pressure.
- Make the creamy garlic sauce: To make the Tuscan chicken creamy garlic sauce, remove the chicken and bring the liquid to a boil with the saute button again. Add sundried tomatoes and spinach. Cook for 30 seconds, giving it a good stir. Pour in the cream and parmesan cheese, stirring again.
- Thicken the sauce: Meanwhile, mix the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Add this slurry to your sauce a little at a time until it is thick enough. Season with more soy sauce, parmesan cheese, or salt if needed.
- Serve: Lastly, put the chicken back in the pot and stir it a bit before serving with fresh basil.
How to make Tuscan chicken in the oven:
- Preheat: First, preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
- Season: Meanwhile, rub oil on your chicken breasts or thighs before adding Italian seasoning on both sides.
- Bake: After, mix the rest of the ingredients except for the parmesan cheese together to make the sauce and pour it into a baking dish. Place the chicken in the dish and bake for 16 to 20 minutes. The internal temperature should be 165 degrees F with a meat thermometer.
- Thicken the sauce: Meanwhile, mix the cold water and cornstarch in a small bowl. Remove the chicken and add a little slurry at a time until the sauce is thick enough.
- Serve: Lastly, put the chicken back in the dish and stir it a bit. Season with more soy sauce, parmesan cheese, or salt, if needed, before serving with fresh basil.
Recipe variations:
- Another oil: Feel free to use other oils such as avocado oil or whichever you like cooking with.
- Parmesan cheese: If you do not have any freshly grated parmesan cheese, you can use canned.
- Cream cheese: Add cream cheese to your mix instead of heavy cream for a thicker parmesan cream sauce.
- Chicken thighs: You could also use bone-in chicken thighs or breasts for this recipe, but the cooking time should be about five minutes longer.
- Minced garlic: You can use store-bought if you do not have fresh garlic on hand.
- Spicy meat: Add red pepper flakes for a spicy instant pot Tuscan chicken.
How to serve:
Our instant pot Tuscan chicken is ready in less than 30 minutes so you may still have time to make it for dinner tonight. Serve warm with your family’s favorite side dishes or try one of these serving ideas:
- Serve this instant pot Tuscan chicken with a salad and our savory olive bread for a hearty family dinner.
- Add penne pasta to this dish for Tuscan chicken pasta.
- For a creative way to use leftovers, make our Tuscan chicken pinwheels with cream cheese and sundried tomatoes.
- You could also sprinkle cheddar, mozzarella, or some other kind of cheese on top.
- Another way to use your leftovers is to mix them with this instant pot feta pasta recipe.
- For some great side dishes to go with this instant pot Tuscan chicken, try our best ever creamed corn recipe or chunky mashed potatoes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between an instant pot and a pressure cooker?
The old-fashioned pressure cookers that you had to use on the stove are probably not something you will see on the market. But you can still get an electric pressure cooker so you can do some pressure cooking if you would rather not use an instant pot.
However, when you pressure cook with an instant pot, it is much safer and easier, and you are still using high pressure. The pressure cooker does use a tiny bit higher pressure than an instant pot, but not enough for it to really make a difference.
Are sun-dried tomatoes healthy?
Not only are sun-dried tomatoes healthy, but they are also delicious. Each serving is a terrific source of your daily values of vitamin C, vitamin K, riboflavin, fiber, and niacin.
Tomatoes also contain lycopene, which is an antioxidant, reduces heart disease, and is a deterrent for certain types of cancer. It also reduces diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease chances.
Can I make my own sun-dried tomatoes?
Yes, it is relatively easy to make your own sun-dried tomatoes in the oven, in an air fryer, or in the sun. Although using the sun seems to be the easiest, it is not going to work if you do not have enough sunlight or if you live in a high humidity area.
All you need is some tomatoes and salt. The type of tomatoes you use is up to you, but the smaller ones dry the fastest. Now, all you have to do is slice them in half, salt them, lay them on parchment paper on a baking pan, and bake for three hours at 250 degrees F.
For the air fryer, turn it to 240 degrees F and fry for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes, use a spatula to smash them flat and fry for another 30 minutes. After, let them sit for one hour on a paper towel to rest.
Why do they call it Tuscan chicken?
Tuscan cooking is typically simple food without heavy sauce or cream. It often includes basic vegetables like tomatoes, garlic, and onion as well as olive oil and herbs. Tuscan chicken is flavored with Italian seasoning, chicken broth, onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, and spinach.
How to store leftovers:
- Store: Put your leftover instant pot Tuscan chicken in an airtight container and refrigerate it for three to four days.
- Freeze: Or you can freeze your instant pot Tuscan chicken for up to three months.
- Thaw: Thaw out your chicken in the fridge overnight for best results.
- Reheat: To reheat, put the instant pot Tuscan chicken in a microwave-safe dish and heat it in the microwave for one or two minutes.
More easy chicken dinners:
Cooking tips:
- Check the internal temperature of the instant pot Tuscan chicken with a meat thermometer. It should be 165 degrees F when it is done.
- For better browning results, brown chicken in two batches using the same cooking times.
- If you want extra flavor, cook the chicken using the oil from the sundried tomatoes.
- Do not forget to add about five to 10 minutes if you are using bone-in chicken breasts or thighs.
- Use sour cream or half and half if you do not have any heavy cream.
- If your instant pot does not have a saute more key, just press the saute button twice.
Instant Pot Tuscan Chicken
Ingredients
- 4 - 6 chicken thighs or boneless and skinless chicken breasts
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons Italian seasonings
- 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms sliced
- 1 cup chicken stock low-sodium
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 80 grams sun-dried tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups fresh spinach
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese freshly grated
- Fresh basil for serving
Thickener:
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup cold water
Instructions
- Click on the Sauté More function and wait until it says HOT.
- Pat dry the chicken and season it with salt, black pepper, onion powder, and garlic powder.
- Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter to the inner pot, and immediately add in the chicken to prevent the butter from burning. Brown it for 2-4 minutes per side, until golden. Set the chicken aside. For better results brown it in batches.
- Add minced garlic, and saute it stirring for 30 seconds.
- Add sliced mushroom, salt, and black pepper, then saute for 1 minute.
- Add Italian seasoning, dried basil, and oregano, stir, and saute for another minute.
- Mix soy sauce and chicken stock together, then pour the mixture into the Instant Pot and deglaze the pot by scraping the sides and bottom with a wooden spoon.
- Add back the browned chicken + any meat juice. Close the lid and point. the valve to sealing.
- Pressure cook Chicken Thighs at High Pressure for 5 minutes + Natural Release for 10 minutes.
- Pressure cook Chicken Breasts and High Pressure for 4 minutes + Natural Release for 10 minutes.
- After that open the valve and release the remaining pressure.
- Open the IP carefully, remove the chicken, and set it aside on a plate.
- Click on saute and bring the liquid to a boil.
- Add in the spinach and sun-dried tomatoes, then stir and cook for 30 seconds.
- Pour in the heavy cream and stir in the freshly grated Parmesan cheese.
- In a small bowl mix cornstarch and cold water together until fully dissolved. Add the mixture one third at a time to thicken the sauce until desired. Stir well after each addition.
- Taste and adjust for seasoning and cheese.
- Add back the chicken into the sauce and serve garnished with fresh basil.
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